Coincidence splicer



June 25, 1968 M. E. BETTS ETAL 3,389,870

COINCIDENCE SPLICER Filed Sept. 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1% W I08 IK Fig.3.

INVENTORS. Mlnford E. Beffs Richard L. Haflon Richard L. Asper' June 1968 M. E. BETTS ETAL COINCIDENCE SPLICER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1966 INVENTORS. Mmford E. Beffs RIC/IGI'd L. Harfon Richard L. Asper g AT'TQRNgS United States Patent 3,389,870 COENCIDENQE SPLICER Minford E. Betts, Odessa, Mo., Richard L. Hatton, Fairway, Karts, and Richard L. Asper, Kansas City, Mo., assignors to The Kansas City Star Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Sept. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 582,048 13 Claims. (Ci. 242-58.2)

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for splicing an expiring, preprinted web and a new, preprinted roll in register and, more particularly, to an operational technique and an automatic start control for the paster of a rotary letterpress which effect an inregister flying splice.

A recent advertising technique developed in the newspaper industry utilizes preprinted rolls of paper containing multicolor advertising matter which are fed into the newspaper press for ultimate cutting, folding and interleaving with the other pages of the newspaper. This facilitates mass media advertising on a territorial or nationwide basis from a single source, and provides pictorial advertising copy of high quality.

Special problems are encountered in the insertion of a preprinted web into a rotary letterpress since a certain phase discrepancy will exist between the preprinted image and secondary operations to be performed by the press. Such operations may include overprinting to identify the local advertiser, and will include the necessary tucking, cutting and folding of the web which enables each repeat length to be interleaved with the other pages of the newspaper. A copending application of Minford E. Betts and Richard L. Hatton, Ser. No. 486,726 filed Sept. 13, 1965, and entitled Registration Control Systern for Preprinted Web Insertion discloses an insetter which assures proper registration of the preprinted image and such secondary operations.

A second problem is encountered when it becomes necessary to splice an expiring web and a new roll to form a continuation of the previous web. When plain, unprinted paper is being fed into the press, various types of conventional paster apparatus are commonly employed to effect a flying splice so that operation of the press will be continuous. However, when the expiring web and the new roll are preprinted, it is requisite that splicing be effected such that the register marks adjacent the nose of the new roll where the two webs are bonded together will arrive at secondary operations in proper register. Heretofore, it has been necessary to stop the press between rolls and splice by hand during a preprint run, thereby consuming valuable time and increasing the time required for the printing of a given number of newspapers.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a method of effecting a flying splice of an expiring, preprinted web with a new, preprinted roll in a manner to unite the same in a condition of proper registration, so that operation of the press will be continuous.

As a corollary to the foregoing object, it is an important aim of this invention to provide a start control for conventional paster apparatus which initiates paster operation when predetermined conditions exist that assure substantial registration of the new web and secondary operations after splicing of the two webs is effected.

Another important object is to provide a start control as aforesaid which compensates for the inherent delay between initiation of the paster apparatus and actual uniting of the expiring web and the new roll in the splice zone.

Accordingly, it is a further object of this invention to provide a means of determining when the relative posi- 3,389,870 Patented June 25, 1968 ice tions of the expiring web and the new roll are such that, upon expiration of a period equal to the aforesaid paster delay time, the roll will be in register with the expiring web in the splice zone, and for initiating operation 'of the paster in response to a determination that a registration producing interrelationship of the expiring web and the roll exists.

Additionally, it is an object to provide such a start control wherein electrical signals are produced indicative of the relative positional interrelationship of the expiring web and the roll, and wherein such signals are electrically compared to ascertain the proper time to initiate operation of the paster.

Furthermore, it is also an important aim of the instant invention to provide a technique of preparing the new roll for ultimate splicing with the expiring web, wherein a method is provided for determining the effective position of a register mark on the roll adjacent the nose thereof after compensation for the inherent delay time of the paster apparatus.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a schematic diagram of the start control system;

FIG. 2 is partially diagrammatic and partially a view in side elevation of a conventional paster apparatus, looking axially of the rolls, and a portion of a rotary letterpress;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the paster apparatus shown in FIG. 2, looking transversely of the expiring roll and the new rolls;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preprinted roll showing the web emanating therefrom; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of a second form of conventional paster apparatus in widespread use with rotary letterpresses.

Referring initially to FIG. 2, a pair of printing cylinders 10 and 12 are diagrammatically illustrated in association with respective blanket cylinders 14 and 16, the two pairs of cylinders forming the primary components of a printing station of a rotary letterpress. An expiring paper web 18 is shown emanating from a nearly exhausted roll 20, web 18 being trained around blanket cylinders 14 and 16 in conventional fashion with printing cylinders 19 and 12 in contact with opposite sides of web 18. A series of stationary pipe rollers 22 guide web 18 from roll 2% through the printing and blanket cylinders and thence to other sections of the letterpress (not shown) where web 18 is interleaved with other imprinted webs, cut and folded to form composite newspapers. It should be understood, therefore, that FIG. 2 represents one stand of a rotary letterpress which would ordinarily employ a number of stands in conjunction with a folder and other apparatus required to form the various webs into composite newspapers.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a conventional form of paster apparatus commonly uti ized in rotary letterpresses of the type described. A pair of standards 24 support a reel or spider 26 which mounts two rolls 28 and 30 in addition to the nearly exhausted roll 20. Reel 26 has a central spindle 32 journalled in standards 24 and three radially outwardly spaced spindles 34, 36 and 38 which rotatably support rolls 2t), 28 and 30 respectively. Web 18 is trained over a portion of a circumferential periphcry of roll 30, the latter being illustrated as the new roll about to be spliced to web 18-. Reel 26 advances in a clockwise di ection (as viewed in FIG. 2) during spliciag and operation of the press; therefore, roll 28 is the standby roll which will be spliced to the web when roll 39 is nearly exhausted.

A spray pipe 40 spans standards 24 above roll 30 and is provided with a plurality of downwardly directed spray nozzles 42. Pipe 40 is communicated with a source of pressurized trichloroethylene (not shown) which is discharged from nozzles 42 upon opening of a valve 44 (FIG. 1). The purpose of the spray is to sensitize the outer surface of paster tape 46 which is placed on the outer wrap of roll 30 adjacent the leading edge or nose 48 thereof. Tape 46 has one surface which adheres to the surface of the paper of roll 30, the opposite surface of the tape being normally in a nonadhesive condition until sensitized by trichloroethylene. When sensitized, tape 46 becomes nearly instantaneously bondable to paper and thus, as will be explained hereinafter, joins the portion of roll 30 adjacent nose 48 to the expiring web 18. It should be understood that roll 30 is shown in a different angular position in FIG. 2 than in FIG. 3, representing rotation of roll 30 through an angle of approximately 120 in the direction of the arrow or counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 2.

A vertical sheet cutter track and housing 50 mounts a sheet cutter 52 which is shifted upwardly along the track from an inoperative position to the position shown by a cutter motor 54. This cocks a drive spring mechanism (not shown) coupled with cutter 52, the latter being shifted into engagement with web 18 at the appropriate time during splicing by releasing the spring to thereby sever the old web. A reel rotation motor 56 is coupled with reel spindle 32 by a transmission 58 for the purpose of controlling the position of the reel during and subsequent to each splicing operation.

A magnetic pickup head 60 is supported by one of the standards 24 in closely spaced relationship to the proximal end of spindle 38, a permanent magnet 62 rotatable with spindle 38 being illustrated in FIG. 2 in broken lines. Head 60 responds to the magnetic field of magnet 62 when the latter moves to its closest position with respect to head 60, the latter then opening valve 44 to spray roll 30 as is conventional in a paster apparatus of the type shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A keyway 64 in spindle 38 is visible for the purpose of permitting proper make-up of the roll, as will be explained hereinafter. It should be understood that a visible keyway and a permanent magnet are also provided in the other roll spindles 34 and 36.

A portion of the web tensioning system is also illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, and includes four flexible copper straps 66 which bear against web 18, each strap being yieldably anchored in base 68 by a tension spring (not shown). Straps 66 have extensions at their upper ends which are each wrapped around a portion of the circumferential periphery of a respective takeup drum 70 rigid with a shaft 72. A torque motor 74 drives shaft 72 via chain and sprocket assembly 76. FIG. 4 illustrates that web 18 is preprinted and normally will contain a multicolor pictorial advertising display. Regularly spaced register marks 78 are imprinted along one edge of web 18, the distance between adjacent marks 78 defining the repeat length of the preprinted web. The Web is drawn into the printing apparatus by frictional engagement with the cylinder pairs 10, 14 and 12, 16, these cylinders being operably coupled to the line shaft 80 (illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 1) of the press and driven thereby.

The start control of the instant invention produces a reference signal 82 illustrated in FIG. 1 as a spike pulse emanating from the output of a monostable multivibrator 84. A pair of cams 86 and 88 rotate with line shaft 80 and have respective lobes that are angularly spaced. A pair of normally open cam switches 90 and 92 are illustrated operably associated with corresponding cams 86 and 88, switch 92 being connected in a series circuit between a DC power terminal 94 and the set control input (designated S) of a bistable multivibrator or flip-flop 96. Switch 90 is in series between terminal 94 and the reset control input (designated R) of flip-flop 96, the latter having an output connection 98 coupled with the control input of multivibrator 84. When fiip-fiop 96 is reset, it delivers an output at the O logic level as indicated by the designation in FIG. 1. The return or ground side of the DC power source is illustrated by terminal 100, it being understood that this terminal is common to the input circuitry of flip-flop 96.

Roll 30 has indicium 102 on one side thereof (FIGS. 1 and 2) in the form of a radially extending mark adjacent the circumferential periphery of the roll. The manner of determining the proper location for indicium 102 will be discussed hereinafter, it being suflicient at this juncture to note that a photosensitive sensor 104 is responsive to indicium 102 for the purpose of triggering a monostable multivibrator 106 which, in turn, produces a square pulse 108 at its output which may, for example, have a duration of approximately 14 milliseconds. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate that the sensor unit 104 is located adjacent the side of roll 30 containing indicium 102 and is mounted on a bracket supported by the adjacent standard 24. Sensor 104 may comprise any of a number of photosensitive units commonly utilized in the printing art to sense the presence of a register mark on a moving web. Such units oftentimes employ a light source which is beamed at the subject, a photocell being arranged to sense light rays irnpinging thereon which are reflected from the surface of the subject. In the instant invention, the beam would be directed toward the side of the roll and the photocell adjusted to sense a decrease in the intensity of the reflected light as indicium 102 passes through the zone under observation by the photocell. The position of roll 30 illustrated in FIG. 2 is intended to portray the disposition of indicium 102 when the latter is under observation by the photocell of sensor unit 104.

A comparator in the form of an AND gate 110 has a pair of inputs connected to the outputs of multivibrators 84 and 106 respectively, an output signal from AND gate 110 being effective to trigger a monostable multivibrator 112 which, in turn, initiates operation of the conventional paster operator circuitry illustrated diagrammatically by control 114. It will be appreciated when the operation of the invention is discussed hereinafter that an output signal delivered by AND gate 110 serves as a splice command which indicates that the expiring web 18 and the new roll 30 have a positional interrelationship which will cause splicing thereof to be effected in substantial registration, even though an inherent delay time exists between initiation of the operation of the paster apparatus and actual uniting of the expiring web and the new roll at a splice zone 116 shown in FIG. 2. Splice zone 116 may be visualized as the arcuate zone of contact between the expiring Web and the new roll in which joining of the web and roll will occur when paster tape 46 is sensitized by the trichloroethylene spray.

Operation and makeup technique As line shaft is driven to, in turn, rotate the printing and blanket cylinders, web 18 is drawn from roll 20 and, after being overprinted, travels to the folder of the letterpress as described above. During this time, rotation of cam 88 effects momentary closure of cam switch 92 during each revolution of line shaft 80, thereby setting flip-flop 96 to cause the production of reference signal 82. A series of reference pulses will thus be produced and delivered to one of the inputs of AND gate 110. The timing of pulse signals 82 is important to the splicing operation and is determined in the following manner.

Sensor 104 is positioned at a reference location selected in accordance with the repeat length. Particularly in FIG. 2, it may be seen that a plane extending along the axis of roll 30 and radially thereof through sensor 104 also intersects the splice zone 116 adjacent the upper limit of the arc of contact of roll 30 and web 18. Since indicium 102 is illustrated at the instant at which it is sensed by the photocell of sensor 104, the specific plane of interest is defined in FIG. 2 by the axis of the roll and a radius thereof aligned with indicium 102. It will be seen that such plane is, in effect, a reference plane in which the simultaneous presence of indicium 102 and a register mark on web 18 will normally be the condition that must be sensed by the start control before initiation of the paster apparatus will be effective to produce the desired splice.

To determine the proper position of cam 88 on line shaft 80, the Web distance from the reference plane to lanket slot 14:: (which will normally be maintained in register with a register mark on web 18 by the press insetter) is measured and the angular disposition of blanket cylinder 14 is adjusted until such web distance is equal to an integer multiple of the repeat length of the preprinted web. It is to be understood that the press is not in operation at this time. Once the rotative position of blanket cylinder 14 is determined which places slot 14a at a web distance from the reference plane equal to an integer multiple of the repeat length, cam 88 is set to close cam switch 92 at that time. Thereafter, operation of the press causes the flip-flop 96 to be set each time blanket cylinder 14 passes through the reference position during rotation thereof. Flip-flop 96 is automatically reset during each revolution of line shaft 80 by cam 86 which closes its associated switch 90 a sufficient time interval ahead of switch 92 to permit the output of flip-flop 96 to return to the 0 logic level before closure of switch 92. Therefore, whenever the output of flip-flop 96 is at the l logic level multivibrator 84 is triggered and reference signal 82 is delivered to the respective AND gate input.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the sensing of indicium 102 by the sensor unit 104 triggers multivibrator 106 to, in turn, cause the delivery of pulse 108 to the other input of AND gate 110. Thus, multivibrators 84 and 106 produce a pair of pulse trains which are continuously fed to respective AND gate inputs. When one pulse 82 and one pulse 108 occur in time coincidence the splice command is produced at the AND gate output to initiate operation of the paster apparatus.

It is apparent from the foregoing, therefore, that the registration condition which initiates operation of the paster may be considered to be the simultaneous presence of indicium 102 and one of the register marks on web 18 in the reference plane. More importantly, however, the registration condition is actually independent of the location of the register marks on web 18, since signal 82 is timed to the blanket cylinder 14 and will be produced even though web 18 is not properly registered with the overprinting. Thus, the new web from roll 30 will arrive at the printing station in register with blanket slot 14a within the tolerance permitted by the relative widths of pulse signals 82 and 108, regardless of previous registration errors. An alternative approach subject to such previous errors would be to utilize a photoelectric scanner suitably positioned to sense the register marks on the expiring web and produce a reference signal each time a mark is sensed, rather than deriving the reference signals from the position of blanket cylinder 14, but such an arrangement would inherently rely on the existing registration condition of the expiring web with respect to the overprinting operation.

Proper positioning of indicium 102 on the side of roll 30 is necessary and will now be discussed in detail. The paster apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is manually controlled by the pressman when utilized in the conventional manner to splice an unprinted web and an unprinted roll. The customary procedure is to make up the roll when it is the standby roll, shown as roll 28 in the figures. The pressman tears off a portion of the outside wrap of the roll so that nose 48 will be in radial alignment with keyway 64. The paster tape 46 is then applied to the outside wrap adjacent nose 48 in the double V configuration illustrated in FIG. 3. The tape extends from nose 48 back along the outside wrap a distance no greater than approximately 90. The excess paper is then torn from the edge of tape 46, leaving nose 48 defined by the edge of the tape itself.

In the instant invention, roll makeup procedure is changed because of the necessity to splice in register and compensate for the inherent delay time between initiation of the paster apparatus and actual uniting of web 18 and roll 30 in splice zone 116. The problem involved may be appreciated by first considering the manner of operation of the paster apparatus in the conventional fashion when plain paper is to be spliced. Control 114 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a push button switch adjacent the printing stand operable by the pressman when it is determined that web 18 is about to expire. Actuation of the switch would render pickup head 60 operative to initiate the splicing operation. This occurs when magnet 62 is at a position of closest proximity to head 60. It should be noted that magnet 62 leads keyway 64 by 225, thereby establishing a 135 lag between alignment of the keyway and alignment of the magnet with the central portion of head 60. Thus, paster tape 46 has passed from beneath nozzles 42 before valve 44 is opened by the pickup head.

During the following revolution of roll 30 the spray from nozzles 42 builds in intensity and impinges upon tape 46 during approximately the last 90 of the revolution. The return of magnet 62 to its position of closest proximity to head 60 activates the head once again, whereupon the latter recloses valve 44 and terminates the spray. Therefore, during the next revolution, the sensitized tape 46 is brought into contact with the undersurface of web 18 in splice zone 116 and the web and the roll are united. Head 60 also controls the energization of cutter motor 54, cutter 52 being advanced into web 18 to sever the latter as uniting is effected. It should be understood that, subsequent to commencement of the splicing operation, reel 26 was driven by motor 56 to the position illustrated, known in the art as the paster position, to place web 18 and the periphery of roll 30 in sufficient frictional engagement to cause the roll to be driven by the web at web speed. Additionally, it is common practice to use a suitable adhesive between the outer wrap and the first underlying wrap of the roll to prevent unreeling of the roll prior to the splice.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that a delay time equivalent to approximately two revolutions of roll 30 elapses between initiation of the splicing operation and actual uniting of the web and the roll in the splice zone. Thus, when the web and the roll are preprinted and hence must be spliced in register, the position of the new roll at the time of actual splicing must be anticipated.

This is achieved in a technique of the instant invention by first defining the nose of roll 30 in the normal manner in alignment with keyway 64. Then, however, the pressman lifts the outside wrap and finds a register mark in the first of the wrap, preferably the first register mark behind the nose. Indicium 102 (which may be in the form of a stripe of ink) is placed on the side of the roll in alignment with the located register mark. Two wraps are then removed from roll 30 and torn off to define the new nose 48 in alignment with keyway 64. The two removed wraps represent approximately the peripheral distance consumed by the rotating roll during the aforementioned delay time. After the new nose 48 is formed, paster tape makeup proceeds in conventional fashion.

Indicium 102 will not be aligned with a register mark on the outside wrap of roll 30 behind the new nose 48 unless, by chance, the circumference of the roll is exact- 1y equal to an integer multiple of the repeat length. A variation in roll diameter, of course, changes the circumference and, through experience, it has been found that this condition rarely occurs.

From the foregoing, it will now be appreciated that the pressman operates the push button switch of control 114 to effect a coincidence splice in the same manner as in the splicing of plain paper. To adapt the existing control system of the paster to utilization with the start control of the instant invention, a lead from the start switch may be broken and the normally open contacts of an electromechanical relay connected in series with such lead. The coil of the relay would be connected to the output of multivibrator 112, which should have an output signal period of suflicient length to pull in the relay coil. Thus, the pressman holds the manual Switch of control 114 in operated position until one of the pulse signals 82 and one of the pulses 108 arrive at the inputs of AND gate 110 in time coincidence, whereupon the splice command from the AND gate output initiates op eration of the paster. Normally, only a short period of time will elapse before a condition of coincidence is determined by AND gate 110. The Width of pulse 108 is selected to be of sufficient duration to permit the commencement of a splicing operation without absolute registration of indicium 102 and a register mark on web 18 occurring, since an out of register splice on the order of one or two inches is acceptable and can be corrected in a relatively short period of time by the web tensioning system controlled by the insetter. Furthermore, if absolute registration were required, roll 20 might become completely exhausted before such condition could be ob tained.

FIGURE 5 In this figure a second type of conventional paster apparatus is diagrammatically illustrated. Except as outlined below, the operation of the paster of FIG. 5 and the manner in which the start control of the instant invention is utilized therewith are identical to the system described above and illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. A reel 118 is shown in paster position with an expiring web 120 emanating from a nearly exhausted roll 122. A new roll 124 is disposed with its circumferential periphery in closely spaced relationship to web 120, roll 124 being driven at web speed by a belt and pulley assembly 126. The assembly may be driven by line shaft 8 6 or a separate motor timed with the line shaft, motion being imparted to roll 124 by the belt 128 in frictional engagement with the surface of roll 124. In this paster system makeup of the new roll is effected in the same manner as described above, except that the paster tape utilized is of a type having an outer surface which is sensitized by the application of kerosene thereto. The kerosene is applied by hand after the tape is in place on the outside wrap of the roll; therefore, unlike the previously described system, contact between the new roll and the expiring web is avoided until the time of splicing.

A brush 130 is located in the position illustrated adjacent the side of web 120 opposite the side of the web which, in cooperation with the proximal peripheral portion of roll 124, defines a splice zone 132. To commence the splicing operation, brush 130 is shifted in the direction indicated by the arrow to force web 130 into engagement with the periphery of roll 124,. now moving at web speed. Movement of the brush is initiated just after the tail of the paster tape has passed through splice zone 132. This allows sufficient time for the brush drive mechanism (not shown) to respond and for proper frictional interengagement of the web and the roll to be effected before the nose of the roll reaches the splice zone. Therefore, the paster apparatus illustrated in FIG. 5 has a delay time between initiation of the apparatus and actual uniting of the web and the roll in the splice zone equivalent to approximately one revolution of roll 124. Accordingly, placement of an indicium on the side of the roll is accomplished in the same manner as described above, but only one wrap is removed from the roll to define the new nose before applying the paster tape to the roll.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a web-fed machine:

means for performing a repetitive secondary operation on an expiring web;

paster apparatus for effecting a flying splice upon expiration of a predetermined time interval after actuation of the apparatus; and

a start control for said apparatus for use in the splicing of the expiring Web with a. new, rotating roll having regularly spaced register marks thereon to assure substantial registration of the new web of the roll and the secondary operation after splicing is effected, said control comprising:

means coupled with said operation-performing means and responsive thereto for producing a reference signal during each repetition of said operation;

a sensor operably associated with said roll for producing a pulse that indicates the rotative position of the roll during each revolution thereof;

a comparator coupled with said signal-producing means and said sensor and responsive to said signals and said pulses for delivering a splice command when one of said signals and one of said pulses have a predetermined time interrelationship which indicates that substantial registration of the new web and the secondary operation will occur after a time duration equal to said predetermined interval plus the time required for the new web to travel to said operation-performing means after splicing is elfected; and

means coupling said comparator with said apparatus to initiate operation of the latter in response to said splice command.

2. The invention of claim 1,

said Sensor being disposed at a reference location lying in a plane extending along the axis of the roll and radially thereof,

there being indicium rotatable with the roll and disposed in a plane defined by said axis and a radius of the roll,

said sensor being operable in response to said indicium to produce a respective pulse each time said indicium passes through the plane in which said location lies.

3. The invention of claim 2,

said indicium being disposed on a side of the roll, said sensor including a photosensitive device proximal to said side for detecting the presence of said indicium in said plane in which the reference location lies.

4. In a web-fed machine:

means for performing a repetitive secondary operation on an expiring web having regularly spaced register marks thereon and maintained in register with said operation;

paster apparatus for effecting a flying splice upon expiration of a predetermined time interval after actuation of the apparatus; and

a start control for said apparatus for use in the effecting of a coincident splice of the expiring web with a new, rotating roll having regularly spaced register marks thereon to assure substantial registration of the new web of the roll and the secondary operation after splicing is effected, said control comprising:

means responsive to movement of said expiring web for producing a series of reference signals occurring successively as corresponding register marks on the expiring web move sequentially past a reference location adjacent said roll;

a sensor operably associated with said roll for producing a pulse that indicates the rotative position of the roll during each revolution thereof;

a comparator coupled with said signal-producing means and said sensor and responsive to said signals and said pulses for delivering a splice command when one of said signals and one of said pulses have a predetermined time interrelationship which indicates that substantial registration of the expiring web and the roll at the zone where splicing thereof is effected will occur after a time duration equal to said predetermined interval; and means coupling said comparator with said apparatus to initiate operation of the latter in response to said splice command. 5. The invention of claim 4, said operation-performing means including means in contact with said expiring web for driving the latter, said signal-producing means being coupled with said driving means and operated thereby in synchronism with sequential movement of the register marks on the expiring web past said reference location. 6. The invention of claim 4, said sensor producing each of said pulses during a corresponding revolution of the roll when a radius thereof extending adjacent the nose of the roll, which would intersect a register mark on the outside wrap thereof if the length of the roll were extended a distance approximately equal to the circumferential distance traveled by the roll during a time duration equal to said predetermined interval, moves past said location, said comparator delivering said splice command when said one signal and said one pulse occur in time coincidence. 7. The invention of claim 6, said reference location lying in a plane extending along the axis of the roll and radially thereof through or adjacent said zone. 8. The invention of claim 7, there being indicium rotatable with the roll and disposed in a plane defined by said radius and said axis of the roll, said sensor being disposed at said reference location and operable in response to said indicium to produce a respective pulse each time said indicium passes through the plane in which said location lies. 9. The invention of claim 8, said indicium being disposed on a side of the roll, said sensor including a photosensitive device proximal to said side for detecting the presence of said indicium in said plane in which the reference location lies. 10. The invention of claim 6, said comparator including an AND gate having a pair of inputs and an output, and means connecting said inputs to said signal-producing means and said sensor respectively, said coupling means being connected to said output. 11. A method of splicing an expiring web and a new roll, the latter having regularly spaced register marks thereon, such that the new web of the roll will be in substantial registration with a repetitive secondary operation to be performed thereon, said method comprising the steps of:

placing an indicium on the roll at one of the register marks thereof adjacent the nose of the roll; removing a portion of the roll to establish a new nose; preparing a paster makeup on the roll adjacent said new nose; disposing the expiring web and the roll relative to each other in a manner to define a splice zone therefor; performing said secondary operation on the expiring web at a station spaced from said zone; producing a reference signal during each repetition of said operation; rotating the roll; sensing each cycle of rotation of said indicium; producing a pulse corresponding to each sensed cycle respectively; commencing a splicing operation when one of said signals and one of said pulses have a predetermined time interrelationship which indicates that substantial registration of the new web and the operation I will occur upon movement of the roll through a predetermined angular displacement equivalent in peripheral distance to the length of said portion plus the time required for the new web to travel to said station after splicing is effected; and thereafter delaying actual uniting of the web and the roll in said zone until expiration of the time interval required for rotation of the roll through said displacement.

12. A method of splicing an expiring web and a new roll, the latter having regularly spaced register marks thereon, such that the new web of the roll will be in substantial registration with a repetitive secondary operation to be performed thereon, said method comprising the steps of:

placing an indicium on the roll at one of the register marks thereof adjacent the nose of the roll; removing a portion of the roll to establish a new nose; rendering part of the roll adjacent said new nose bondable with the expiring web upon coating of said part with an agent for sensitizing the same; placing the expiring web and the periphery of the roll into interengagement to rotate the latter;

performing said secondary operation on the expiring web at a station spaced from the zone of splicing of the expiring web and the roll;

producing a reference signal during each repetition of said operation;

sensing each cycle of rotation of said indicium;

producing a pulse corresponding to each sensed cycle respectively;

comparing the signals and the pulses to produce a coating command when one of the signals and one of said pulses have a predetermined time interrelationship which indicates that substantial registration of the new web and the operation will occur after a predetermined number of revolutions of said roll following production of said command plus the time required for the new web to travel to said station after splicing is effected; and

coating the roll with said agent in response to said command during said predetermined number of revolutions of the roll equivalent in peripheral distance to the length of said portion, whereby to sensitize said part.

13. A method of splicing an expiring web and a new roll, the latter having regularly spaced register marks thereon, such that the new web of the roll will be in substantial registration with a repetitive secondary operation to be performed thereon, said method comprising the steps of:

placing an indicium on the roll at one of the register marks thereof adjacent the nose of the roll;

removing a portion of the roll to establish a new nose;

rendering part of the roll adjacent said new nose bondable with the expiring web;

placing the expiring web and the periphery of the roll in closely spaced interrelationship;

performing said secondary operation on the expiring web at a station spaced from the zone of splicing of the expiring web and the roll;

producing a reference signal during each repetition of said operation;

rotating the roll;

sensing each cycle of rotation of said indicium;

producing a pulse corresponding to each sensed cycle respectively;

comparing the signals and the pulses to produce a splice command when one of the signals and one of said pulses have a predetermined time interrelationship which indicates that substantial registration of the new web and the operation will occur upon movement of the roll through a predetermined angular displacement equivalent in peripheral distance to the length of said portion plus the time required for the new web to travel to said station after splicing is effected; and

placing the expiring web and the periphery of the roll into interengagernent in response to said command during said movement of the roll through said displacement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM S. BURDEN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A WEB-FED MACHINE: MEANS FOR PERFORMING A REPETITIVE SECONDARY OPERATION ON AN EXPIRING WEB; PASTER APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING A FLYING SPLICE UPON EXPIRATION OF A PREDETERMINED TIME INTERVAL AFTER ACTUATION OF THE APPARATUS; AND A START CONTROL FOR SAID APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE SPLICING OF THE EXPIRING WEB WITH A NEW, ROTATING ROLL HAVING REGULARLY SPACED REGISTER MARKS THEREON TO ASSURE SUBSTANTIAL REGISTRATION OF THE NEW WEB OF THE ROLL AND THE SECONDARY OPERATION AFTER SPLICING IS EFFECTED, SAID CONTROL COMPRISING: MEANS COUPLED WITH SAID OPERATION-PERFORMING MEANS AND RESPONSIVE THERETO FOR PRODUCING A REFERENCE SIGNAL DURING EACH REPETITION OF SAID OPERATION; A SENSOR OPERABLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ROLL FOR PRODUCING A PULSE THAT INDICATES THE ROTATIVE POSITION OF THE ROLL DURING EACH REVOLUTION THEREOF; A COMPARATOR COUPLED WITH SAID SIGNAL-PRODUCING MEANS AND SAID SENSOR AND RESPONSIVE TO SAID SIGNALS AND SAID PULSES FOR DELIVERING A SPLICE COMMAND WHEN ONE OF SAID SIGNALS AND ONE OF AND PULSES HAVE A PREDETERMINED TIME INTERRELATIONSHIP WHICH INDICATES THAT SUBSTANTIAL REGISTRATION OF THE NEW WEB AND THE SECONDARY OPERATION WILL OCCUR AFTER A TIME DURATION EQUAL TO SAID PREDETERMINED INTERVAL PLUS THE TIME REQUIRED FOR THE NEW WEB TO TRAVEL TO SAID OPERATION-PERFORMING MEANS AFTER SPLICING IS EFFECTED; AND MEANS COUPLING SAID COMPARATOR WITH SAID APPARATUS TO INITIATE OPERATION OF THE LATTER IN RESPONSE TO SAID SPLICE COMMAND. 